1
9 3 5
February
Contractors
trials
26th
Commissioned
with reduced complement for trials.
March
4th
Passage to Clyde
for trials including measured
mile and Full Power.
19th
Passage to Solent
on completion
of trials.
21st
Passage to Chatham
22nd
Arrived at Chatham
27th
Paid-off
April
Repair of defects arising from
trials
May
Final dockyard work completed.
21st
Commissioned for
service as Flagship, 3rd Cruiser
Squadron, Mediterranean Fleet.
(Note: Replaced HM Cruiser DELHI
as Flagship.)
June
Prepared for service.
12th
Completed to full complement
20th
Took passage from Chatham
for work-up
at Portland.
22nd
Commenced work-up at Portland.
July
11th
Took passage from Portland
for Gibraltar
15th
At Gibraltar
and deployed with Mediterranean
Fleet as Flagship CS3
August
20th
Grounded on arrival at Malta
and refloated
with the aid of tugs.
29th
Sailed from Malta
with Fleet
units for Exercise and Visits
Programme.
September
Deployed
in eastern Mediterranean
with Mediterranean Fleet units.
to
December
(Note: Invasion of Abyssinia by
Italy
resulted in reinforcement
of Mediterranean Fleet
and
an
increased state of readiness for British
warships.)
1
9 3 6
Flagship
duties in continuation and took part in
Fleet exercises and visits programmes
including
joint exercises with Home Fleet ships at
Gibraltar
during annual Spring visit.
Outbreak
of civil war in Spain
significantly affected Fleet
requirements and included
institution
of patrols in western Mediterranean.
1
9 3 7
January
Fleet duties as Flagship CS3 in
continuation
February
Sustained
structural damage in heavy weather and
returned to Malta
for repair.
March
Resumed Flagship duties on
completion.
April
Squadron
duties in Mediterranean.
May
Passage
to Almeria,
Spain
with HM
Destroyer HARDY.
14th
Sailed from Almeria
with seriously damaged
destroyer HMS HUNTER in tow for passage
to Gibraltar
escorted by HM Destroyers IMOGEN and
ICARUS.
(Note:
This destroyer had been seriously
damaged by a mine during
Non-intervention
patrol
off Spanish south coast.)
15th
Arrived at Gibraltar
with HMS
HUNTER in tow.
June
Deployed with Squadron in Mediterranean
to
July
Nominated
for return to UK
to re-commission for further
service as Flagship, 3rd Cruiser
Squadron,
Mediterranean Fleet after refit.)
August
23rd
Sailed from Malta
for Sheerness
31st
Arrived at
Sheerness to de-ammunition prior to
refit.
September
Paid-off
and taken in hand for refit by HM
Dockyard, Chatham.
to
October
November
2nd
Re-commissioned for service as
Flagship, 3rd Cruiser Squadron,
Mediterranean Fleet.
15th
Sailed from Chatham
for Spithead
prior to returning to Malta
for service.
20th
Arrived at Gibraltar.
23rd
Rejoined Squadron at Malta
and Flag transferred.
December
Deployed
with Squadron in Malta.
1
9 3 8
Mediterranean
Fleet duties with Squadron including
joint exercises with Home Fleet in Spring.
Took
part in Spring
and Summer Exercise and visits
programme which included preparation
for
war service during the Munich
crisis. Routine
maintenance periods in Malta.
1
9 3 9
January
Deployed with Squadron in Mediterranean
and took part in joint annual
exercises with
to
April
Home Fleet.
May
Fleet
deployment in continuation with
Squadron and Fleet visits in eastern Mediterranean.
to
June
July
Took part in Fleet exercises in
anticipation of war with Italy
as arranged by CinC.
August
Returned to Alexandria
when Black
Sea
ports visit cancelled and
prepared for war service.
Nominated
for
contraband control patrols.
D
e t a i l s
o f
W a r
S e r v i
c e
(for
more ship information,
go
to
Naval History Homepage
and
type name in Site Search
September
Deployed
with HM Cruisers GALATEA and COVENTRY
for patrol duties in Mediterranean.
to
October
based in Alexandria
November
Patrol
duties in continuation.
December
Nominated
for transfer to 2nd Cruiser Squadron,
Home Fleet.
1st
Sailed from Alexandria
for patrol
during passage to Malta.
7th
Under repair in Malta.
18th
Resumed operational service.
23rd
Sailed for patrol.
30th
Returned to Malta.
Relieved as Flagship by HM
Cruiser CALEDON.
31st
Took passage to Gibraltar
en route to UK
for Home
Fleet service.
1
9 4 0
January
3rd
At Gibraltar
6th
Arrived at Portsmouth
and prepared for service in
Home Fleet.
26th
Sailed from Portsmouth
to Scapa
Flow
for service with HM Cruisers
PENELOPE, GALATEA
and
AURORA
as 2nd Cruiser Squadron.
29th
Arrived at Scapa
Flow.
February
Deployed
for interception patrol in North
Sea
and NW Approaches.
14th
Sailed from Rosyth with HM
Destroyers
COSSACK, INTREPID, IVANHOE, NUBIAN and
SIKH
to carry out search for German tanker
ALTMARK which was carrying British
merchant
seamen
captured by commerce raiders.
17th
During deployment with HMS
INTREPID and
HMS IVANHOE as separate search group
sighted enemy ship off Egro
Light
For
details of search see ENGAGE THE ENEMY
MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett.
(Note:
Boarding party from HMS COSSACK later
rescued prisoners from ALTMARK
in Josing
Fjord,
Norway.)
March
Deployed with Squadron to carry
out two offensive sweeps in Skaggerak
for
interception
of
enemy warships on passage to attack
shipping in North
Sea
and NW Approaches or to
return
to Germany
as blockade runners.
April
Deployed at Rosyth
7th
Sailed from Rosyth with HM
Cruiser
GALATEA, HM Destroyers AFRIDI, GURKHA,
SIKH,
MOHAWK,
ZULU, COSSACK, KASHMIR,
KELVIN, Polish destroyers ORP GROM,
BURZA
and
BLYSKAWICA to carry out search for
German warships
reported on passage north of
position
58.30N 3.30E.
8th
Joined by HM Destroyers SOMALI,
MATABELE, MASHONA and TARTAR. and
continued
search
operation.
9th
Ordered to join ships of Home
Fleet in
Bergen/Trondheim
area after German invasion forces
had
landed in Norway.
HMS
KELVIN and HMS KASHMIR involved in
collision and detached with HMS ZULU
and
HMS COSSACK as escort during return to
harbour.
Detached
with HM Cruiser GALATEA, EMILE BERTIN
and two French destroyers to carry
out
sweep between Fejeosen
Fjord
and south of Kors
Fjord to prevent enemy
reinforcements
arriving
in Stavanger
and Bergen.
11th
Took passage to Scapa
Flow
to refuel.
13th
Sailed from Scapa
Flow
with HMS GALATEA to Rosyth.
14th
Embarked troops for and stores
planned
landings at Namsos
(Operation MAURICE)
16th:
Destination for landings
changed to
Andalsnes but troops to be transferred
to destroyers
at
Molde for onward transport (Operation
SICKLE).
17th
Sailed from Rosyth with HM
Cruisers
GALATEA, CARLISLE
and CURACOA screened by
HM
Destroyers ACHERON and ARROW as escort
for troopship ORION during passage to
Molde
after delays in embarkation of AA guns
and the later need to revise stowage
arrangements
and
distribution of troops. For details see
NAVAL OPERATIONS
OF THE CAMPAIGN IN
NORWAY,
April to June 1940 (HMSO).)
18th
Transferred troops at Molde
with HMS
CURACOA.
(Note:
HMS GALATEA and HMS CARLISLE landed
troops at Andalsnes.
20th
Arrived at Rosyth
with HMS GALATEA without incident.
21st
Embarked RAF
personnel and AA guns for passage to
establish airfield at Lesjaskog.
22nd
Landed passengers and equipment
at Andalsnes.
30th
Deployed at Andalsnes with HM
Cruisers SHEFFIELD,
GALATEA and SOUTHAMPTON,
HM Destroyers MASHONA,
SIKH, TARTAR, WALKER, WANDERER and
WESTCOTT
for
evacuation of troops. For details of the
disastrous
operations off Norway
see above reference,
THE
DOOMED EXPEDITION by Adams,
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY,
CARRIER
GLORIOUS by J Winton and NARVIK by D MacIntyre.)
May
7th
Transferred to Nore Command and
took
passage to Harwich to assist in support
of military
operations.
11th
Escorted two Dutch mercantiles
carrying gold bullion to Southend from Ijmuiden,
Holland.
24th
Sailed from Portsmouth
with HMS GALATEA to carry out
bombardment of shore batteries
near
Calais.
Operation cancelled as ship
could not arrive before nightfall.
25th
At Sheerness
26th
Carried out bombardment with
HMS
GALATEA, HM Destroyers GRAFTON,
GREYHOUND,
VERITY, VIMIERA,
WESSEX,
WOLFHOUND
and Polish ORP SLAZAK.
Under air
attacks during which HMS WESSEX was
sunk.
27th
Returned to Sheerness.
June
Deployed in support of the
evacuation of allied personnel from
France (Operation AERIAL)
17th
Arrived at Le Verdon
at mouth of Gironde
estuary to take charge of
evacuation.
18th
At Le Verdon
for meetings between British Ambassador
and First Sea Lord regarding
future
policy for dealing with French naval
forces.
19th
Embarked officials from British
Embassy.
20th
Embarked President of Poland
with his
diplomatic staff and took passage to Plymouth
on
relief as SNO Le Verdon
by HMS GALATEA.
21st
Landed 221
passengers at Plymouth.
27th
At Portsmouth
and nominated
for transfer to Mediterranean.
28th
Embarked Admiral James
Somerville, Flag
Officer Force H designate and sailed for
Gibraltar.
30th
Flag transferred to HM
Battlecruiser
HOOD on arrival at Gibraltar.
Began
service
as part of Force H based at Gibraltar.
July
2nd
Sailed from Gibraltar
with HMS HOOD, HM Battleships
VALIANT and RESOLUTION,
HM Aircraft
Carrier
ARK
ROYAL, HM Cruiser ENTERPRISE,
HM Destroyers ACTIVE,
ESCORT,
FAULKNOR, FEARLESS, FORESTER, FOXHOUND,
KEPPEL, VIDETTE,
VORTIGERN
and WRESTLER.
3rd
Deployed off Oran
for operation aimed at denying
use by Germany of French warships.
(Operation
CATAPULT).
After
failure of negotiations with French
Admiral Gensoul
took part in bombardment of
warships
in French naval base at Mers-el-Kebir
with heavy loss of French lives.
For
details see RELUCTANT ENEMIES by W
Tute.
8th
Deployed with HMS HOOD, HMS
VALIANT,
HMS RESOLUTION, HM Cruisers DELHI,
and
ENTERPRISE,
HM Destroyers FAULKNOR,
FOXHOUND, FEARLESS, FORESTER,
ESCORT,
DOUGLAS, ACTIVE, VELOX, VORTIGERN and
WRESTLER to provide cover
for
HMS ARK
ROYAL during planned air
attacks on Cagliari
(Operation MA5).
(Note:
The air attacks were intended to prevent
assistance being given to ships of the
Mediterranean
Fleet engaged in an action of Calabria
with Italian warships.)
10th
Operation abandoned after air
attacks.
11th
Returned to Gibraltar
with same
ships.
22nd
Deployed with Force H to
provide cover
for HMS ARK ROYAL during planned air
attacks
on Bordeaux.
25th
Returned to Gibraltar
whilst on passage when operation
cancelled because of weather conditions
in Bay
of Biscay.
31st
Deployed with HMS VALIANT, HMS
RESOLUTION, and screened by HM
Destroyers
ESCAPADE
and VELOX as Group 2 to cover Malta
aircraft delivery from HM
Aircraft
Carrier
ARGUS (Operation HURRY).
(Note:
This was coincident with Operation CRUSH
– Air attacks on Cagliari
from HMS
ARK
ROYAL which was being covered by other
ships of Force H)
August
2nd
Detached after successful
launch of
aircraft and carried out unsuccessful
search for French
mercantile
GOUVERNEUR-GENERAL DE GUEYDON which was
believed
to be taking
French
minister Edouard
Daladier
from Algiers
to Marseilles.
Rejoined
ships of Force H.
4th
On return to Gibraltar
from HURRY
relieved in Force H by HM Cruiser SHEFFIELD.
7th
Passage in Atlantic
to Chatham
for refit and
routine docking.
12th
Under refit by HM Dockyard,
Chatham
September
At Chatham
October
9th
Carried out post refit trials
and took
passage to rejoin 2nd Cruiser Squadron
at Scapa
Flow.
Involved in
collision with mercantile and
sustained structural
damage.
(Note:
Source are
at variance about place of repair. One
records at Chatham and another
in Newcastle.
31st
Taken in hand for
repair at Newcastle.
To be confirmed.
(Note:
One source records ship opened fire with
AA guns whilst in dry dock at Chatham
during
an air raid and that as a result ship
was deployed in Thames
near Tower
Bridge to
supplement shore AA defences.
To be confirmed.)
November
23rd
Carried out post repair trials
off Tyne
and resumed operational service
in Squadron for
interception
patrols in NW Approaches.
December
London AA deployment to be
confirmed.
8th
Deployed to provide cover for
minelay
in Northern Barrage by HM Auxiliary
Minelayers
MENESTHEUS
and AGAMEMNON (Operation SN10A)
For
details of all minelaying operations see
Naval Staff History (Mining).
1
9 4 1
January
3rd
Provided cover for minelay by
HM
Destroyers INTREPID and ICARUS off Egersund,
Norway
with HM Cruiser AURORA and
Fleet destroyer screen (Operation DZ)
Resumed
patrol duties with Squadron on return to
Scapa
Flow.
February
Nominated
for provision of cover for minelay in
addition to patrol deployment.
1st
Deployed to provide cover for
planned
minelay by HMS INTREPID off Fro Havet,
Norway
with
HMS AURORA and Fleet destroyer screen
(Operation EA)
Operation
cancelled during passage due to weather
conditions and returned to Scapa
Flow.
17th
Provided cover for HM Auxiliary
Minelayers AGAMEMNON, PORT
QUEBEC and
MENESTHEUS
during Northern Barrage minelays
(Operation SN7B and
SN68A)
Detached
for convoy defence.
20th
(Note: One source also records
deployment as escort for military convoy
on passage
to Gibraltar.
No record of escort for WS Series convoy
confirms this but
routine
convoy OG53 sailed from Liverpool
on 18th February and arrived
at Gibraltar
on 1st March)
March
1st
At Gibraltar
10th
Escorted ss
STRATHMORE to Greenock.
13th
Detached to join HM
Battlecruiser RENOWN
and HMS ARK ROYAL in search for
German battlecruisers
SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU sighted by
HM Battleship
MALAYA
near Cape
Verde
Islands.
Took
passage to return to Scapa
Flow
when German
ships returned to Brest.
30th
Resumed patrol duties with
Squadron at Scapa
Flow.
April
Deployed for interception
patrol
in Atlantic.
May
Deployed
for patrol in Faeroes-Iceland Gap.
23rd
Joined HM Cruisers BIRMINGHAM
and NEWCASTLE
for interception of German
battleship
BISMARCK
known to be on passage to attack
Atlantic convoys.
24th
Remained off Iceland
to intercept BISMARCK
if her return
passage was made northward.
June
3rd
Returned to Scapa
Flow
from patrol.
25th
Provided cover for HM Auxiliary
Minelayers AGAMEMNON and MENESTHEUS
during
Northern Barrage minelay (Operation
SN70B).
30th
At Scapa
Flow
Nominated for support of Malta
relief convoy (Operation
SUBSTANCE)
July
(Note:
An RAF Air-Surface radar was installed.
This had been modified for naval use
and
was
designated Type 286M. It use was limited
as the aerial could not rotate.
For details of development and
use of radar in the RN see RADAR AT SEA
by D
Howse.)
12th
Deployed
with HM Battleship NELSON, HM Cruisers MANCHESTER
and HM Destroyers
COSSACK, LIGHTNING, NESTOR
(RAN)
and SIKH for escort of Convoy WS9C and
took
passage
from Scapa
Flow
to Londonderry.
13th
Joined
convoy during passage in NW Approaches.
For details see MALTA CONVOYS
by R
Woodman, The Naval Staff History, ENGAGE
THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY,
THE BATTLE
FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN
by D
Macintyre, THE NAVAL WAR IN
THE MEDITERRANEAN
by J Green and A Massignani
and Naval Staff History for details.)
17th
Detached
from WS9C with HMS COSSACK and HMS SIKH
as escort for troopship
LEINSTER
into Gibraltar.
(Note: LEINSTER
was to embark troops for passage to Malta.
See below)
22nd
Deployed
with HM Cruisers EDINBURGH, MANCHESTER
and MANXMAN, HM
Destroyers COSSACK, MAORI,
NESTOR (RAN), FEARLESS, FOXHOUND,
FIREDRAKE, ENCOUNTER, ERIDGE
and
FARNDALE for escort of convoy through
Sicilian
Narrows
into Malta
as Force X. Cover was provided for
passage in
western
Mediterranean
by ships of Force H based at Gibraltar
23rd
Under air attacks with Force
X and mercantiles.
(Note: HMS MANCHESTER and HMS
FEARLESS were hit by torpedoes.
HMS FEARLESS had to be sunk by
HMS FORESTER but the cruiser had to
return
to Gibraltar
escorted by HMS AVONVALE.
HMS
HERMIONE from Force H replaced HMS
MANCHESTER in Force X)
24th
Under attack by Italian torpedo
craft
west of Pantalleria
during which mercantile SYDNEY
STAR
was torpedoed and troops
transferred to HMAS NESTOR.
(Note: SYDNEY
STAR
was later able to renew passage and
despite air
attacks arrived
in Malta.
See references.)
Detached
with HMS EDINBURGH and HMS MANXMAN to
land stores in Malta
and
rejoined
Force X to transit Sicilian
Narrows
overnight.
25th
Met
Force H ships off Bone and took passage
to Gibraltar.
28th
Retained
at Gibraltar
for planned operation and joined Force H
(Operation STYLE)
30th
Sailed
from Gibraltar
with HMS HERMIONE and HMS MANXMAN
escorted by HMS
SIKH and LIGHTNING taking
personnel previously embarked in ss
LEINSTER
to Malta.
(Note: LEINSTER
had run aground on leaving Gibraltar
to join Convoy GM1.)
August
1st
Cover for
passage to Sicilian
Narrows
provided by
ships of Force H.
2nd
Italian submarine TEMBIEN was
sunk off Tunis
during transit,
(Note:
This submarine had been charging
batteries on surface and rammed.)
Sailed from
Malta
with same
ships after passengers and stores
landed.
3rd
Rejoined Group II of Force H
and took
return passage with them to Gibraltar.
(Note:
HM Destroyer FARNDALE joined off Malta
for return passage but later
withdrew.
Group
II also included HMS NELSON, HMS
MANXMAN, HM
Destroyers
FAULKNOR,
FURY, FOXHOUND and FORESIGHT.)
7th
Passage to UK
from Gibraltar.
Nominated
for refit in Tyne
commercial shipyard
24th
Taken in hand for
refit.
September
Under
refit
to
October
Radar Type 272 to provide
warning of surface craft and
land was fitted.
Fire-control Radar Type 284 was
fitted for main armament. See above
reference.
November
1st
On completion of
post refit trials resumed Home Fleet
duties at Scapa
Flow.
Deployed
for
interception patrol.
December
Nominated
for support of planned landing in Lofoten
Islands
by Commando units (Operation
ANKLET).
Took part
in
preparatory exercises for ANKLET.
24th
Sailed from Scapa
Flow
with HM Destroyers ASHANTI,
BEDOUIN, ESKIMO, SOMALI,
WHEATLAND,
LAMERTON, Polish destroyers ORP KUJAWIAK
and KRAKOWIAK
HM
Corvettes ACANTHUS and EGLANTINE, HM
Fleet Minesweepers HARRIER,
HALCYON,
SPEEDWELL and SCOTT, HM Landing Ships
(Infantry) PRINSES
CHARLOTTE
and PRINCE
ALBERT
to carry out landing on Lofotens.
(Note:
HMS SCOTT was deployed as a Navigational
Ship and HM Submarine SEALION
had
been stationed in landing area as a
Marker.)
26th
Carried out search of Vestfjord
during which two Norwegian trawlers were
captured
and
the
German auxiliary warship GEIER (V5904)
was boarded by a
party from HMS ASHANTI.
Although
damaged tow of this vessel was
attempted but later
abandoned when air attacks began.
(Note:
The primary objective of ANKLET was to
obtain information about the ENIGMA
coding
machine. One was taken from GEIER with
the associated
wheels and
documentation
was taken from GEIER for delivery to Bletchley
Park.
For
details see ENIGMA by H Sebag-Montefiore)
27th
Operation abandoned because of
lack of
air cover. at
Kirkfjord, Lofotens.
Sustained slight damage from
near miss during air attacks
28th
Passage to Scapa
Flow
with same
ships.
1
9 4 2
January
Nominated for refit and took
passage to Sheerness.
Taken in
hand
for refit by HM Dockyard, Chatham.
February
Under
refit
to
March
(Note: Type 281 radar for
warning of aircraft was
fitted and close range AA armament
improved.)
April
Nominated for service in Mediterranean
with 15th Cruiser Squadron
based at Alexandria.
Carried
out post refit trials before taking
passage to Scapa
Flow
for work-up with
ships
of Home Fleet.
25th
Commenced work-up
May
On completion took passage to Alexandria
via Cape
of Good Hope
and Red
Sea.
June
9th
Arrived at Alexandria
and joined EURYALUS, DIDO and
HERMIONE in 15th
Cruiser
Squadron.
13th
Sailed from Alexandria
with H M Cruisers ARETHUSA, BIRMINGHAM,
CLEOPATRA,
DIDO,
EURYALUS, HERMIONE and NEWCASTLE
screened by HM Destroyers HASTY,
HERO, INCONSTANT, JAVELIN,
JERVIS, KELVIN, NAPIER. NESTOR, NIZAM,
NORMAN, PAKENHAM, PALADIN, SIKH
and ZULU to provide escort for Malta
Convoy MW11 during passage in
eastern Mediterranean
(Operation VIGOROUS).
(Note: This operation was
co-incident with a similar relief convoy
from Gibraltar
which came
under
air, submarine and surface warship
attacks although two mercantiles
arrived in
Malta
(Operation HARPOON)
HM
Battleship CENTURION, disarmed before
outbreak of WW2 was also deployed
with
MW11 and disguised to resemble a KGV
Class battleship.
Twelve
other destroyers were also deployed as
Close escorts for MW11 for period,
prior
to arrival of Mediterranean Fleet
units.)
For
details see THE BATTLE FOR THE
MEDITERRANEAN by D Macintyre
ENGAGE
THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett,
HITLER'S U-BOAT
WAR by C
Blair and the Naval Staff History.)
14th
Joined MW11 with Fleet units.
Under heavy and sustained air
attacks.
Submarine
attack by U77 driven off by HMS
PAKENHAM.
Convoy
under threat of attack by Italian
fleet units.
15th
Convoy ordered by CinC
ashore in Alexandria
to reverse course.
Under
night attack by German E-Boats during
which HMS HASTY was torpedoed and had
to
be
sunk by HMS HOTSPUR. HMS NEWCASTLE was
also hit by a torpedo and withdrawn
from
escort to return to Alexandria.
Air
attacks resumed after daylight but
convoy ordered to resume westward
passage
although
later
rescinded..
During
the air attacks sustained damage but
remained with escort.
(Note: HMS BIRMINGHAM and HMS
CENTURION were also damaged.
HMS AIREDALE and HMS NESTOR had
to be sunk.
Owing to the heavy expenditure
of AA ammunition by escorts which would
have left
insufficient
stocks to ensure safe passage to Malta
the operation was abandoned.
16th
Returned to Alexandria
with Fleet units.
July
On completion of repair resumed
service with Squadron.
20th
Carried
out bombardment at Mersa
Matru with
HM Cruiser DIDO
August
Nominated
for escort of diversion convoy in
eastern Mediterranean
(Operation MG3).
(Note:
This was to attract enemy attention in
the eastern Mediterranean
during passage of a Malta
relief
convoy from Gibraltar
(Operation
PEDESTAL)
10th
Sailed with HM Cruiser DIDO
screened by HM Destroyers JERVIS,
KELVIN, PAKENHAM,
ALDENHAM,
BEAUFORT, DULVERTON, ERIDGE, HURSLEY,
HURWORTH, HM Corvette
HYACINTH
and HM Auxiliary Escort ANTWERP as
escort for MW12 of three mercantiles
during
cruise
in eastern Mediterranean
11th
HM Cruisers CLEOPATRA and DIDO
screened by HM Destroyers
JAVELIN SIKH and ZULU
joined
convoy with one mercantile from Haifa
Detached
with HMS EURYALUS, HMS JAVELIN, HMS
KELVIN, HMS SIKH and HMS ZULU
to
carry out bombardment of Rhodes.
12th
Rejoined convoy MW12 for return
passage
13th
Arrived at Alexandria
with escort.
September
Deployed with Squadron in
eastern Mediterranean
to
October
(During this period
Fleet operations were limited by lack of
resources.)
November
Nominated for escort of Malta
relief convoy MW13 (Operation STONEAGE).
16th
Joined convoy with HM
Destroyers JAVELIN, JERVIS, KELVIN,
NUBIAN, PAKENHAM, PALADIN
and
PETARD as escort after it left Port
Said.
17th
Relieved as escort by HM
Destroyers ALDENHAM, BEAUFORT,
BELVOIR, CROOME,
DULVERTON,
EXMOOR,
HURSLEY, HURWORTH, TETCOTT and
Greek destroyer PINDOS.
Returned to
Alexandria
with original screen.
18th
Rejoined MW13 with HM Cruisers
CLEOPATRA, DIDO and ORION and
same destroyers.
After
unsuccessful air attacks came under
further by torpedo carrying aircraft at
dusk.
Hit
on port side abreast B turret and took
on heavy list to Port.
Extensive
fires in forward structure due to oil
fuel together with flooding. 156 killed
and 42 injured
Ship
disabled.
(Note:
Hole in structure was later found to be
53 ft long and 35 feet deep.
19th
Fires under control and took
passage under own power using
emergency steering, escorted by HMS
PETARD, HMS
JERVIS and HMS JAVELIN.
Taken
in tow by PETARD when damaged section
bucking. Other destroyers detached to
return to
MW13.
20th
Tow by HMS PETARD stern first
in
continuation.
21st
Arrived at Alexandria
and assisted to tugs to prevent further
damage by use
of main engines.
December
Under
temporary repair at Alexandria
to allow ocean passage.
1
9 4 3
January
Under
temporary repair
Permanent
repair arranged in US Navy Dockyard at Charlestown
February
7th
Sailed from Alexandria
for passage to USA
via Red
Sea
March
Passage
in Indian
Ocean
after call at Durban
4th
At Cape
Town
Resumed
passage in Atlantic
Ocean
30th
Arrived at Charlestown,
South
Carolina
after call in Bermuda.
April
Taken
in hand for repair and refit
to
November
(Note: Work included
preparation for installation of Radar
equipment to be fitted in
UK
before resuming operational
service.
AA armament for defence
against close
range
attacks was also improved.
December
3rd
On completion of post refit
harbour and sea trials took passage
to US Navy Yard at Norfolk,
Va.
1
9 4 4
January
Passage
from Norfolk
to Chatham
with call at Bermuda.
February
Taken in hand for completion of
refit work and installation not possible
in USA.
(Note:
Fit of fire control Radar for AA
armament and Barrage control of AA
mountings
was
completed.)
March
Under
refit by HM Dockyard Chatham.
April
Post refit harbour trials.
6th
Carried out post refit sea
trials in Nore area.
Nominated
for support of planned allied landings
in Normandy
(Operation NEPTUNE).
22nd
Joined 1st Cruiser Squadron,
Home Fleet at Scapa
Flow
30th
Deployed for training in
preparation for support bombardment
during landings
May
Allocated
for duty in Bombarding Force D for
support of landings on SWORD
Beach
in
Eastern
Task Force area. Fire Plan
targets included shore
batteries at Sallenelles.
For
details of naval activities prior to and
during landings see LANDINGS IN
NORMANDY
June 1944
(HMSO) and OPERATION NEPTUNE
by K Edwards.
24th
Joined Force D in Clyde.
26th
Carried out bombardment
exercises in NW Approaches with HM
Battleship WARSPITE and
ships
of Bombardment Forces D, E and K.
June
Returned
to Clyde
on completion of exercises.
3rd
Sailed from Clyde
for passage to Portsmouth
with HM Battleships WARSPITE and
RAMILLIES,
HM
Cruisers MAURITIUS DANAE, FROBISHER and
Polish cruiser ORP DRAGON as Convoy S6
escorted
by HM Destroyers SAUMAREZ and SWIFT,
Norwegian
destroyers SVENNER and STORD,
HM Frigates
ROWLEY and HOLMES.
4th
Arrived in Solent,
Operation
postponed 24 hours.
5th
HM Monitor ROBERTS joined Force
D.
Sailed for
SWORD beach head.
6th
Carried out bombardment of SWORD
Beach
with HMS WARSPITE, HMS RAMILLIES, HMS
FROBISHER,
ORP DRAGON screened by HM Destroyers
SAVAGE and UNDINE.
Took part
in brief engagement with German
destroyers from Le
Havre
which retired.
Remained
off beach head with Eastern Task Force
for gunfire support apart from periods
for
replenishment.
14th
At Portsmouth
for special duty.
16th
Embarked HM King George VI and
Chiefs of the Defence Staff
for visit to beach heads.
Sailed from
Portsmouth
escorted by HM Destroyers SCOURGE
and UNDINE.
Returned to
Portsmouth
and visitors disembarked.
24th
Under air attack in Seine
Bay
and sustained slight damage from
near-miss.
25th
Damaged by magnetic mine
dropped by aircraft and sustained
internal damage when it exploded
in
wake.
30th
Under temporary repair by HM
Dockyard Portsmouth
July
Under
repair
August
Passage to Greenock
for refit and completion of repair
in commercial shipyard.
4th
Taken in hand for refit
September
Under refit
to
December
Nominated for service in
15th Cruiser Squadron, Mediterranean
Fleet on completion.
1
9 4 5
January
Carried
out post refit trials
On
completion took passage to Gibraltar.
February
Passage to Malta
13th
Deployed at Piraeus
for support of military operations
March
Squadron
duties in Mediterranean
in continuation.
to
April
(Note:
Support was provided by RN warships
during re-occupation of islands in Aegean
and
Adriatic as well as for military
operations in Italy
and France.)
May
Deployed
for support of British troops in Trieste
and for Fleet training exercises
to
August
with ships working-up for
operational service in Pacific.
In addition
for interception patrol to prevent
illegal immigration
into Palestine.